UK Pumpkin Patches 2026: Pumpkin Picking Near You, County by County

137 UK pumpkin patches, county by county, with the 2026 opening dates each farm has published on its own website — plus the two things every listing leaves out: whether you have to book ahead or can simply turn up, and whether the pumpkins are actually growing in a field or laid out on a display. Nearly all of it happens in the four weeks between 3 and 31 October 2026, and this year Halloween falls on a Saturday, so the last weekend will be the busiest of the season.

Pumpkin picking has gone from a novelty to a fixture of the British autumn in about a decade. Farms that once sold a few dozen at the gate now plant a hundred varieties and open the field for a month; one Sussex farm grows a million and a half. The result is that most families now have somewhere within an hour’s drive — and a genuine choice between a free walk-in field with a wheelbarrow and a ticketed farm park with a carving barn, a tractor ride and a bar. This directory covers both, and says plainly which is which.

Jump to your region: London · South East England · East of England · South West England · The Midlands · Yorkshire & the North East · North West England · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland

Do you need to book a pumpkin patch?

This is the question that catches families out, and the answer has changed. Of the 137 patches here, 88 now require a ticket booked in advance and will turn you away at the gate without one; only 45 let you simply turn up. Timed entry slots became normal during the pandemic and the farms kept them, partly to manage car parks and partly because no-shows were leaving fields unpicked. Several farms sell out their October weekends in September.

The rule of thumb: if the patch charges for entry, book it. If entry is free, you can usually walk in. The exception is the free-but-ticketed model, where the farm issues a no-cost timed ticket purely to spread arrivals — Goddenwick in West Sussex, Undley in Suffolk and Bath Pumpkin Patch all work this way, and you still need the ticket.

The best pumpkin patches for toddlers — and the quiet sessions

A pumpkin field is harder work with a toddler than the photographs suggest. Vines are prickly, the ground is rutted and usually wet, and a pushchair will fight you the whole way. Several farms now say so on their own websites: Crockford Bridge in Surrey does not allow buggies in the fields at all, Avon Valley near Bristol warns outright that its patch is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs, and Lower Drayton in Staffordshire recommends a sling. A baby carrier and wellies beat a pram almost everywhere.

What to look for instead: hard-standing or gravel paths (Orway Porch in Devon has hard standing right up to the crop, and Arnprior in Stirling lays gravel across a real field), wheelbarrows provided, and an undercover option for a wet day. And check the Halloween billing: a great many farms now run a gentle daytime trail and a genuinely frightening evening event on the same ground, and the names are not always a guide.

Is it a real pumpkin patch? The bit nobody tells you

Not every ‘pumpkin patch’ is a field of growing pumpkins. Some farms grow the crop elsewhere and lay it out in a decorated display, a barn or a polytunnel — which is drier, flatter, kinder to a pushchair and completely fine, so long as you know before you set off with a child who has been promised a vine. The farms are generally honest about it if you read closely: Garsons in Surrey describes moving its pumpkins into the Parade by hand, and Millets in Oxfordshire says plainly that early-season visitors will see cut stalks.

We have marked every one of these in the tables below as Not a field patch. There are 7 of them here, and several are the best wet-weather day out on their list — Briarlands in Stirling grows under an old strawberry polytunnel, and Whitehouse Farm in Northumberland runs its toddler patch indoors, which in a Northumberland October is simply sensible.

The opposite claim is worth trusting too. Birchfield in Nidderdale, Bert’s Barrow near Selby, Walby in Cumbria and South Farm at Rodmell all state on their own pages that the pumpkins are grown in the field where you pick them — Walby’s phrasing is ‘no crates, no imports’. Farms only say that because the alternative exists.

UK pumpkin patches by region and county

Every entry below was read on the farm’s own website or its own booking page in early September 2026 and re-checked on 22 September. Where a farm had not yet published its dates we have said so rather than guessing — 18 of the 137 were still to confirm at the last check on 22 September, and those few are worth a second look before you set off.

London

The capital has one true pick-your-own patch inside the M25 — everything else is a drive out. 1 patch across Greater London.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Hobbledown Heath Hounslow	Greater London	25 Sept – 1 Nov 2026	Book ahead From £7.50 (ages 1–2 from £3.75, under-1s free)	The only genuine pumpkin patch inside Greater London — a meadow beside the River Crane, five minutes’ walk from the car park. Dog-friendly on three daytime dates. Little ones: Buggy-friendly meadow, marshmallow fire pits, bubble shows, picnics welcome. Halloween: Pumpkin Nights, after-dark lantern sessions (atmospheric, not a scare maze).

South East England

The densest cluster in Britain, and home to the largest patch in Europe. 22 patches across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Copas Farms — The Fruit Fields, Cookham Cookham, near Maidenhead	Berkshire	From 4 Oct 2026, every weekend plus the last week of October	Book ahead £4.00 per person aged 2+; pumpkins £1.20/kg	Sold by weight rather than a flat per-pumpkin price, so a family can take home a barrow-load cheaply. Little ones: Under-2s need no ticket; one wheelbarrow per family; grass paths that get muddy; no dogs except guide dogs. Halloween: No — but the maize maze stays open and is included.
Odds Farm Park Wooburn Common, High Wycombe	Buckinghamshire	Every weekend in October, plus half term 24 Oct – 1 Nov 2026	Walk-up, book at weekends Not published for 2026 — book online to save	The one where the pumpkin comes free with a child’s admission. Check dates before travelling: as of 22 September the farm’s own festival page still carried 2025 dates, and parts of it show last year’s calendar. Little ones: A free small pumpkin per paying child, wheelbarrows, indoor soft play, animal barn, water play, tractor rides; under-2s free. Halloween: Pumpkin Family Nights — explicitly no-scare, with fire shows and a silent disco.
Peterley Manor Farm Great Missenden	Buckinghamshire	Every weekend from 3 Oct, plus daily 27–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up Free entry and free parking	Around 15,000 home-grown pumpkins in the Chiltern Hills, free to walk into — the easiest no-planning option in the South East. Little ones: Plenty of wheelbarrows, children’s activities, food vans; dogs on leads; café (book a table). Halloween: No — but ticketed Little Farmers sessions run through half term.
South Farm Rodmell Lewes	East Sussex	Daily 17–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm, while stocks last	Walk-up No admission charge; pumpkins priced by size from £1	A genuinely grown field on the South Downs Way, and they make a point of the contrast with patches where pumpkins are shipped in. Little ones: Open field, no play equipment; muddy after rain; dogs on leads welcome.
Durleighmarsh Farm Shop Petersfield	Hampshire	Selected days to 31 Oct 2026, crop depending	Walk-up No entry fee for the pumpkin field; pumpkins from £1	Strictly no dogs anywhere except assistance dogs, which rules it out for dog-owning families. Little ones: Tea Barn café beside the shop; working farm with uneven ground, so wellies.
Sunnyfields Farm Totton, Southampton	Hampshire	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 22–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £7.50 per person (under-2s free)	The only site here pairing a toddler-safe daytime patch with a full adult scare event on the same ground the same evening. Little ones: The daytime event is described by the farm as fully accessible and inclusive; roaming characters and a DJ from 2.30pm. Halloween: Dark Harvest — a 13+ scare event with three mazes, from 6pm.
Westover Farm Pumpkins Calbourne, near Newport	Isle of Wight	Every weekend 3–31 Oct 2026, plus Fridays from 9 Oct and Mon–Tue 19–20 and 26–27 Oct (Saturdays from 9.30am)	Walk-up Free entry and free parking	A ten-acre patch in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty under Brighstone Forest, with 20-plus varieties, PYO sweetcorn and sunflowers. Little ones: Buggies manage in dry weather; toilet on site; Pumpkin Patch Playtime for little ones on Friday mornings — hot chocolate, storytime and crafts; dogs on leads.
Hewitts Farm Orpington	Kent	From 1 Oct 2026, Tue–Sun	Walk-up Free entry — pay only for what you pick	The plainest and cheapest option in the South East: no ticket, no timed slot, no fuss. Little ones: Real 78-acre field picking on uneven ground; no play barn, no tractor ride.
Lower Ladysden Farm Goudhurst, near Cranbrook	Kent	Throughout October 2026, timed slots	Book ahead £3.20 per person aged 3+ (under-3s free)	More than 60 varieties grown on site, and the ticket price includes the rides. Little ones: Fairground rides and face painting included; accessible loo with baby changing; dogs on leads outside the tunnels. Halloween: Pumpkin Nights — after-dark picking, torch recommended.
PYO Pumpkins at Beluncle Farm Hoo, near Rochester	Kent	10–11, 17–18, 23–25 and 28–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £10 per car (up to seven seats); pumpkins £1–£15	Seventeenth season, everything home-grown, and priced per vehicle rather than per head — the best value here for a full car. Little ones: Grass paths only on a working field; wheelbarrows, toilets, snack shop; no dogs.
Pumpkin Moon Maidstone and Rainham	Kent	10–11, 17–18 and 21–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead From £2.75 (family of four from £10; under-2s free)	Two sites, and more than 100 varieties of pumpkin, squash and gourd sown across them. Little ones: Wheelbarrows to borrow, level parking, food on site; open field, so wellies.
Stanhill Farm Wilmington, Dartford	Kent	3–4, 10–11 and 17–18 Oct, then daily 20–30 Oct 2026 (Mon–Sat 9.30am–3.30pm, Sun 10.30am–2.30pm)	Book ahead £7.50 per vehicle or walk-in group of up to eight; pumpkins £1.50–£15	Twelfth season, all grown on site. Ticketing moved from free to paid this year. Little ones: Straw laid across the patch for prams and wheelchairs; café, accessible loo with baby changing; no dogs.
Millets Farm Centre Frilford, near Abingdon	Oxfordshire	Weekends from 3 Oct, then daily from 22 Oct 2026	Book ahead £4.00 off-peak, £5.00 peak (under-2s free)	Unusually honest small print: Millets says some pumpkins are grown elsewhere on the farm and brought into the patch. Little ones: SEND sessions 9–10am on 11 and 26 Oct; Bonkers Bat Hunt and story times; uneven ground, awkward for pushchairs. Halloween: Pumpkins by Night, 16–18 and 23–30 Oct — an illuminated trail, not a scare night.
Rectory Farm Stanton St John, near Oxford	Oxfordshire	Event days 3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up, book at weekends £7.50–£8.50 per person aged 2+ (under-2s free)	Pumpkins are snipped off the vine before you arrive so they lift cleanly with a long stalk — which is why they last to Halloween. Little ones: Excellent for toddlers — a 9.30am show for 0–3s, sensory play, mini tractors, story corner; SEND morning on 27 Oct with free carer tickets. Halloween: No evening event — a daytime festival with live music and food trucks.
Crockford Bridge Farm Addlestone, near Weybridge	Surrey	From 3 Oct 2026, closing before the first ground frost	Book ahead From £6.50 per person aged 1+	A working farm that says so pointedly — everything from munchkins to Atlantic Giants and white Ghost pumpkins. Little ones: Buggies are not allowed in the fields; limited wheelbarrows, bring your own bags; no dogs.
Garsons Farm Pumpkin Parade Esher	Surrey	Throughout October 2026, timed entry	Book ahead £6.50–£8.00 per person aged 2+ (under-2s free)	Not a field patch. grown across 150 acres then moved by hand into the Parade, so this is choosing from a display rather than cutting in the field. Little ones: Laid out under cover, so it works in rain; but uneven ground, a five-minute walk from the car and no toilets on the farm.
Hans Christmas Andersen Pumpkin Farm Godalming	Surrey	Daily from mid-October to 31 Oct 2026	Walk-up Free entry and free parking	Eighteen varieties sown in their own greenhouses in May — the only free-entry, no-booking patch in Surrey. Little ones: Flat nursery field with parking beside it; pirate ship, mini tractors, catering on site. Halloween: A daytime Spooktastic Experience, plus a meet-the-animals weekend.
Priory Farm Estate South Nutfield, near Redhill	Surrey	Daily 17–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Pumpkin Field from £6; Tractor Adventure from £9	Growing pumpkins here since 1986 — 65,000 seeds across 12 acres for 27 varieties. Little ones: Buggy-accessible but hilly; hay-bale maze with hidden slide, fire pits, accessible loo; no dogs. Halloween: Separate Halloween Trail at Discovery Land, booked separately.
Dell Quay PYO Apuldram, Chichester	West Sussex	From 17 Oct 2026	Walk-up Free entry — pay only for what you pick	One of the very few patches you can reach without a car — walkable from Chichester and on the 52/53 bus. Little ones: Explicitly pushchair-friendly; mud kitchen, pedal tractors, sand and hay bales; accessible toilets; café.
Goddenwick Farm Lindfield, Haywards Heath	West Sussex	10–12, 17–19 and 24–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Entry and picking free (a free ticket is still required); Spooky Play Pass £5 per child	Two patches, with pumpkins grown between the rows of the farm’s Christmas trees. Little ones: The patch by the car park has level stone-chipping paths for buggies and wheelchairs; play barn; dogs on leads. Halloween: Free Spooky Trail, plus a Saturday-night bar with live music.
Sompting Pumpkins Sompting, near Worthing	West Sussex	3–31 Oct 2026, daily 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry and free parking	Fifteen acres and around 20 varieties including pink, blue, green, black and white. Unsold pumpkins go to local soup kitchens. Little ones: Wheelbarrows at the field gate, crafts, customer toilets; tractor rides at weekends; no dogs.
Tulleys Pumpkin Festival Turners Hill, Crawley	West Sussex	19–20 and 26–27 Sept, 3–4 and 9–11 Oct, then daily 15–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £8.95–£13.95 per person aged 2+ (under-2s free)	Europe’s largest: 1.5 million pumpkins, 100-plus varieties, a 33-metre observation wheel and the new Pumpkin Valley. Little ones: Uneven, muddy fields; baby changing in the accessible loo but no highchairs; manageable with an off-road buggy in dry weather; dogs on leads. Halloween: Tulleys Pumpkin Nights (separate ticket), plus a fireworks finale on 1 Nov.

East of England

Big flat fields, a lot of free entry, and several farms growing 40-plus varieties. 18 patches across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
The Secret Farm Moggerhanger, near Bedford	Bedfordshire	3–4, 10–11, 17–18, 24–25 and 26–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £5 per person aged 3+ (under-3s free)	The most activity-dense patch in the East for the money. No dogs at all except assistance dogs. Little ones: Straw maze, bale climbing, mini tractors, pedal go-karts, trampoline, entertainers, crafts, pumpkin wash, covered seating; SEN session and a home-ed day on 12 Oct. Halloween: A chargeable Scare Maze and graveyard, plus fireworks on 30 Oct.
Skylark Wimblington, near March	Cambridgeshire	Evening sessions 24–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead To be confirmed for 2026; under-2s free	An evenings-only event rather than a daytime patch — more of a grown-up night out than a toddler morning. Dogs welcome. Little ones: On-site carvers do the carving and clear up afterwards; the Funyard attractions are closed during this event. Halloween: Evening-only picking with live music and a professional fire show.
Cobbs Farm Pumpkins Goldhanger, near Maldon	Essex	10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry and free parking; pumpkins £1–£15	Every pumpkin grown on site at Goldhanger. Quietest 10–11am and after 3pm. Little ones: A real working field — mud and puddles, so wellies; pop-up café daily; basic toilets.
Hatter’s Farm Pumpkins Takeley, near Bishop’s Stortford	Essex	Pumpkin Nights 16–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026; daytime dates still to be confirmed on the farm’s own site (22 Sept)	Book ahead Daytime from £3; Pumpkin Nights from £6	Over 100,000 home-grown pumpkins across 75-plus varieties, a seven-acre maize maze and night picking under 1,000 festoon lights. Little ones: Bale mountain, hay-bale maze, duck racing, undercover play, picnics welcome; dogs on leads; portaloos only. Halloween: Hatter’s Haunted Mad House, plus Pumpkin Nights with street actors and live music.
Pumpkin Village at Marsh Farm South Woodham Ferrers	Essex	26 Sept – 1 Nov 2026	Book ahead Tickets from £4.95 (under-2s free)	The ticket does not include entry to Marsh Farm itself; there is a large Halloween shopping village alongside the patch. Little ones: Free parking, pumpkin courtyard and snack shack; the site is cashless. Halloween: Pumpkin Village Nights — evening sessions.
Sarah Green’s Organics Tillingham, near Maldon	Essex	Every October weekend and every day of half term, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry; pumpkins priced by variety and weight	A certified organic farm, and one of the few that lets dogs on leads into the patch itself. Sunflowers to pick too. Little ones: Tea, coffee and homemade cake on site; cash and card.
Church Farm Ardeley Ardeley, near Stevenage	Hertfordshire	24–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Day Pass price not listed; parking free, under-2s free; PYO pumpkin is a paid add-on	A not-for-profit care and education farm. Dogs welcome, and you can stay the night in a Creepy Cabin. Little ones: Deliberately spooky rather than terrifying — farm trail with animals, big bale play, digger ride-ons, sensory trail, activity pack. Halloween: Halloween Spookfest, with an optional Spooky Woodland Trick or Treating adventure.
Hitchin Lavender Ickleford, near Hitchin	Hertfordshire	Reopens in October 2026 for the pumpkin patch; exact dates not yet announced (tickets via TicketSource)	Book ahead Not yet published	Home-grown squashes and gourds alongside the pumpkins, on the UK’s largest pick-your-own lavender farm. Little ones: Old Barn Teahouse with a children’s play area just outside; food trucks in the main field.
The Pop Up Farm Redbourn, near Harpenden	Hertfordshire	17–31 Oct 2026, 9.30am–4.30pm	Book ahead Not shown on the public listing page	Bills itself as London’s local farm — it is right off junction 9 of the M1. Little ones: A working farm with an education programme; on-site parking. Halloween: Moonlit Pumpkins, 29 Oct, 6.30–9.30pm, with live music and a bar.
Willows Activity Farm London Colney, near St Albans	Hertfordshire	10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead One all-inclusive Willows ticket; price not published on the festival page	Everything is in one ticket. The site is cashless, and socks plus covered arms and legs are required for the indoor slides. Little ones: One free standard pumpkin per paid child; Peter Rabbit shows, indoor play, tractor ride, crafts, Halloween disco. Halloween: Halloween Maze, Pumpkin Hunt and Halloween Disco — family, not frightening.
The Pumpkin House Thursford, near Fakenham	Norfolk	October; the farm’s own page listed 10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 Oct but was still headed 2025 on 22 Sept — confirm before travelling	Walk-up Free entry and free parking (£2 per person on the Medieval Weekend)	Not a field patch. you choose from the shelves of a handmade wooden Pumpkin House decorated with over 1,000 pumpkins, rather than cutting in a field. Little ones: A Mini Pumpkin House for little ones, mud kitchens, traditional games, face painting, pop-up café, large covered barn if it rains. Halloween: A six-acre spooky maize maze and a fancy-dress competition on 31 Oct.
The Tacons Farm Shop & PYO Rollesby, near Great Yarmouth	Norfolk	Weekends in October, daily from half term — the farm’s standing pattern; 2026 not separately dated on its site	Walk-up Not published	A long-established family PYO — pumpkins follow a full summer of strawberries and raspberries on the same ground. Little ones: The PYO field is separate from the farm shop, with ample parking; shop open daily for ice cream and local produce.
Wroxham Barns Hoveton, near Norwich	Norfolk	10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026, 10am–3pm	Walk-up Free to enter; pumpkins priced individually	Dog friendly and genuinely free to enter — you pay only for the pumpkins you pick. Little ones: Undercover carving area, crafts, photo spots; the maize maze and face painting are paid extras. Halloween: Get Me Out of Here at the Adventure Farm (separate ticket).
Rougham Pumpkins Rougham, near Bury St Edmunds	Suffolk	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and daily 24–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up Free admission and free parking; pumpkins priced by size	A new field for 2026, thousands of pumpkins in 20-plus varieties, and a separate small patch for dogs on leads. Little ones: SEN sessions 9–10am on 27 and 29 Oct; sandpits, pedal tractors, face painting daily, toilets with baby changing; wheelchairs and prams welcome. Halloween: Pumpkins by Torchlight & Silent Disco, 17 and 24 Oct.
Siam Hall Spooky Pumpkins Boxford, near Sudbury	Suffolk	10–11 and 17–18 Oct, then daily 24–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up Free entry and free parking	A small family-run patch on the Suffolk–Essex border with no tickets at all. Dogs welcome. Little ones: Wheelbarrows to borrow, boot wash, hand wash and pumpkin wash; café, barbecue and picnic area.
Suffolk Pumpkin Patch Barton Mills, near Bury St Edmunds	Suffolk	2–4, 9–11, 16–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Not published on the farm’s own page	A new site for 2026 with a 44-metre observation wheel over the fields and the Breckland countryside. Little ones: Free on-site parking; carving and photo spots. Halloween: Open to 9pm daily — genuine after-dark picking, though not a scare event.
The Pumpkin Patch East Bergholt East Bergholt	Suffolk	9–11, 16–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up £2.50 per person aged 16+; children free	Ten thousand seeds hand-planted and 39 varieties grown for 2026. Dogs welcome. Little ones: Child-size as well as adult wheelbarrows, bale fort, straw mountain, swing, slide, tunnel; toilets on site.
Undley Pumpkin Patch & Maize Maze Beck Row, near Mildenhall	Suffolk	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–5pm	Book ahead Free site-entry ticket; attractions and pumpkins charged separately	More than 60 varieties, and a 2026 Creepy Coach maize maze with a real double-decker bus as the lookout platform. Little ones: SEN session 9–10am on 17 Oct; inflatables, craft stalls, food on site. Halloween: No — the maize maze is themed rather than frightening.

South West England

Free-entry patches are the regional habit here, from Cornwall to the Cotswolds. 17 patches across Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park Keynsham	Bristol	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–5pm	Book ahead Not published on the farm’s own pages	Thirty-six years of PYO, and the pumpkins are grown from the farm’s own saved seed. Little ones: The farm’s own warning: open farmland, not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Wheelbarrows to borrow; dogs welcome but need a ticket. Halloween: Pumpkin Patch Nights with fire shows and live music, plus the new Big Boo Trail.
The Cornish Fun Farm at Smeaton Farm Saltash	Cornwall	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10.30am–5pm	Book ahead £5 per person (under-2s free); pumpkins £1.50–£4.50	Dogs on short leads are welcome around the patch, which is unusual for a ticketed site. Little ones: Explicitly spook-free; a short mini-maze for little legs and rare-breed animals to meet. Halloween: The daytime patch is non-scary; a separate evening Maze of Horrors runs alongside.
Trevaskis Farm Hayle	Cornwall	October 2026 — the farm’s PYO board still shows pumpkins as ‘out of season, check back later’ (22 Sept)	Walk-up Free farm entry — pay only for what you pick	A genuine year-round working PYO rather than a pop-up October patch — pumpkins sit in the same rotation as the strawberries. Little ones: Twenty-eight acres of PYO with information signs, polytunnels and tree shelter for wet days.
Devon Pumpkin Picking Paignton	Devon	10–12, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry	Five golden pumpkins are hidden in the patch each day — find one and any pumpkin you like is free. Little ones: A flat field with catering and coffee on site; no dogs in the patch.
Jolly Pumpkin Silverton Silverton, near Exeter	Devon	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4.30pm	Book ahead £2 per person aged 2+ (under-2s free but still ticketed); pumpkins from £1	More than 50 varieties of pumpkin, squash and gourd — the widest published range in the South West. Little ones: Bale mountain, vintage tractor, barrel train, pumpkin house, giant chair, face paints; no dogs. Halloween: Witch-way Maze Trail — a daytime family trail, not a scare event.
Orway Porch Farm Kentisbeare, near Cullompton	Devon	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry for everyone	Hard standing right up to the crop, which almost no field patch can offer. Little ones: The most accessible patch we found — level hard-standing access straight into the pumpkin field, plus free games and a fenced dog run.
Pennywell Farm Buckfastleigh	Devon	Daily 26 Sept – 1 Nov 2026	Book ahead Included free in the standard day ticket	The festival is bundled into normal admission rather than sold as an add-on. Little ones: A full farm-park day — miniature pigs, bottle feeding, goat walking, indoor bouncy castles and timetabled shows, so it works in the rain. Halloween: Pennywell Pumpkin Nights, an illuminated family evening, plus Paddy the Pumpkin’s Autumn Trail.
Dewflock Farm Winterborne Monkton, near Dorchester	Dorset	10–11, 17–18 and 24–30 Oct 2026, two-hour slots	Book ahead £6.80 per person aged 3+	Bring your own carving set — carving space is included, and the goop goes to the resident pigs. Little ones: Maize maze, straw play, bouncy castle, face painting, and an indoor play barn as wet-weather cover; goats, lambs, donkey, ponies and alpacas; no dogs.
Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park Organford, near Poole	Dorset	October half term 2026 — the Halloween ‘Fang-tastic’ Half Term is confirmed on the farm’s site; exact dates and prices not yet listed	Book ahead Not yet published for 2026	Re-checked 22 September: the half-term programme is confirmed, the day-by-day dates are not. Little ones: The whole park is designed for children aged eight and under, with 23 indoor and outdoor attractions, so it works in bad weather. Halloween: Halloween half-term programme confirmed for 2026: maize maze, Halloween quiz, pumpkin push and disco included in admission; tractor ride and candy dash extra.
Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park Guiting Power, near Cheltenham	Gloucestershire	2–4, 9–11, 16–18 and 21–31 Oct 2026, 9.30am–5pm	Book ahead Included in a standard Farm Park ticket	The only patch in the region that comes free with normal farm-park admission, and dogs are welcome throughout. Little ones: Face painting at weekends, carving kits and assistants on hand, toilets in the patch; described by the farm as accessible for all. Halloween: No scare event — bookable professional photography sessions instead.
Over Farm Gloucester	Gloucestershire	Every weekend from 3 Oct plus daily 23–31 Oct 2026, 10am–5.30pm	Walk-up, book at weekends Early bird from £1.95 until 19 Sept, then from £2.99; dogs £1	At 17 acres, the largest single patch in the South West — and the early-bird price closes on 19 September. Little ones: Free wheelbarrow hire, pumpkin and welly wash, free parking, large covered seating area, independent food traders. Halloween: Pumpkins After Dark, plus the Spookyard festival for children 24 Oct – 1 Nov.
Primrose Vale Farm Shop & PYO Bentham, near Cheltenham	Gloucestershire	Weekends throughout October 2026 and half term, until stocks run out	Book ahead A small entry charge, redeemable against the pumpkins you pick	The entry cost comes off the pumpkin price — the farm points out this is in contrast with some others. Little ones: Pushchairs that cope with uneven ground are normally fine; gloves and boots advised, as the vines have prickles; no dogs in the fields. Halloween: A separate ticketed Halloween Trail from 23 Oct, run from the farm shop.
Bath Pumpkin Patch at Newton Farm Foods Newton St Loe, Bath	Somerset	From 3 Oct 2026, every October weekend plus every day of half term	Book ahead Tickets are free — pay only for the pumpkins you pick	Twenty acres and 30 home-grown varieties on a free ticket — the best value for entry in the South West. Little ones: Tractor-trailer rides, a food truck and the farm café; assistance dogs only indoors.
Fairfield Pumpkins Barwick, near Yeovil	Somerset	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Adults £3, children 3–16 £1 (under-3s free); pumpkins from £2	Runs dedicated ticketed SEN sessions, which very few patches in the region publish. Little ones: A four-acre patch with games, face painting and woodcrafts, and an undercover barn with hot drinks; the toilets are up steps and not accessible. Halloween: Ticketed After Dark evenings.
Farrington’s Farm Farrington Gurney	Somerset	10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026, timed slots	Book ahead Not published on the event page	Around 20 acres and 50-plus varieties, and dogs are ticket-exempt and welcome. Little ones: Playbarn open as usual with adults free, pop-up funfair, carving marquee, café. Halloween: Witch’s Wood, with a cauldron marshmallow-toasting spot — family, not frightening.
Jolly Pumpkin at Pitt Farm West Buckland, near Wellington	Somerset	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4.30pm	Book ahead £2 per person aged 2+ (under-2s free but still ticketed); pumpkins from £1	Formerly branded Pitt Farm Pumpkins; 2026 bookings now run through the Jolly Pumpkin site. Little ones: Spooktacular maize maze, bale mountain, photo spots; café on site; no dogs. Halloween: Witch-way Maze Trail — daytime, not a scare event.
Lotmead Farm Wanborough, near Swindon	Wiltshire	Weekends throughout October 2026 and half term, 9.30am–5pm	Book ahead Redeemed against the cost of the pumpkins you pick	A dedicated pre-school trail is rare, and the spooky tunnel entrance to the field is a Swindon fixture. Little ones: Two separate Halloween trails — one for pre-schoolers, one for readers; farm park with animals and a large outdoor play area; dogs on leads. Halloween: Halloween Farm Trail throughout half term, for ages 3–13 — tasks and puzzles, not a scare event.

The Midlands

Two of the country’s biggest ticketed Halloween farms, plus a run of quiet family fields. 20 patches across Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Ashover Family Farm Ashover, near Chesterfield	Derbyshire	October 2026, dates not yet announced	Walk-up Free entry and free parking for the patch; pumpkins priced individually	A regenerative family farm on the edge of the Peak District, now with its own campsite if you want to stay over. Little ones: Corn maze, marshmallow toasting, wildflowers and photo spots; dogs on leads welcome; cash or card.
The Farm Patch at Lower House Farm Little Marcle, near Ledbury	Herefordshire	From 3 Oct 2026, weekends plus every day of half term, 11am–4pm	Walk-up, book at weekends £6 per car, plus the pumpkins you pick	Seventh season, with a recipe board on site and stone-baked pizza from The Bull Pen. Little ones: Free concrete-yard parking, so no muddy cars; children’s assault course, maize meander and photo props; basic toilets; dogs welcome. Halloween: Late-night torchlit picking on weather-dependent dates announced on social media.
Cattows Farm — The Halloween Farm Heather, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch	Leicestershire	26 Sept – 1 Nov 2026	Book ahead Adventure Pass from £14.99, including the patch, all seven attractions and parking	The patch is one attraction inside a large ticketed Halloween event rather than a standalone field. Little ones: The daytime programme is built for families — roller disco, circus and a dinosaur trail suit younger children; free parking. Halloween: Zombie World and Trick or Treat Street by day; Halloween Farm After Dark every Saturday from 5pm.
Wymeswold Fruit Farm Wymeswold, near Loughborough	Leicestershire	Opening October 2026 — exact dates not yet announced (22 Sept)	Walk-up Not published; pay for what you pick	A fourth-generation farm growing PYO since 1973, raising every pumpkin from seed on site. Little ones: Sledges and wheelbarrows provided, and a free goody bag with a carving kit and a sweet per pumpkin.
Bell’s Pumpkin Patch Benington, near Boston	Lincolnshire	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Ticketed (under-2s free); pumpkins from £1, tractor ride £4, carving £2.50	Around two million pumpkins across 300-plus varieties, and the UK’s largest pumpkin cannon, which has raised over £20,000 for charity. Little ones: A dedicated Tiny Tots area and bouncy pumpkin, pedal tractors, cheek art included and covered dining marquees; dog-friendly on leads. Halloween: Halloween displays, singing pumpkins and circus shows — family, with no evening scare event.
Doddington Hall & Gardens Doddington, near Lincoln	Lincolnshire	Daily 1–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry; pumpkins from £4 by size	Hunt for a golden-bottomed pumpkin — the finder wins the pumpkin, a family Christmas ticket and a home-grown Christmas tree. Little ones: Wellies essential, as it gets muddy; fancy dress encouraged; dogs on leads to the patch gate but not inside. Halloween: A spooky walk through the Kitchen Garden on the way to the patch.
Pumpkin Bumpkins PYO Spridlington, near Lincoln	Lincolnshire	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry, no booking; pay for what you pick, priced by size	Over 12 varieties grown on the farm. The 2026 opening times went up on the farm’s site in mid-September. Little ones: Wheelbarrows provided, picnic tables and tipis, caterers doing coffee, crepes and wood-fired pizza; uneven ground; no dogs.
Kislingbury Sunnies and Spooks Kislingbury, near Northampton	Northamptonshire	October 2026, exact dates not yet announced	Book ahead Not published; under-2s free	Over 20 varieties chosen for eating as well as carving, with a converted 1940s railway carriage as the café. Little ones: Bale mountain and slide, pedal tractors, playhouses and covered seating; stay until 4.30pm once you arrive. Halloween: A spooky trail through the patch; no evening event.
Overstone Grange Farm Overstone, near Northampton	Northamptonshire	Weekends from 26 Sept, daily 24–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Ticketed (under-2s free)	Roughly 30 acres and 90 varieties from over 100,000 seeds — one of the biggest single-farm selections in the country. Little ones: A play patch with a bale tower, sandpits, pedal tractors and a mini maize maze; SEN session 10–11.30am on 4 Oct; no dogs. Halloween: Spooky scenes through the patch plus torchlit Pumpkin Nights on 9, 16 and 23 Oct.
Maxey’s Farm Shop Kirklington, near Newark	Nottinghamshire	4–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up £2 per person, under-16s free; mini squashes from 50p	Three generations of the Maxey family grow every pumpkin from seed, from miniature to XXXL, in orange, green, blue and white. Little ones: Uneven, possibly muddy ground, so wellies; bouncy pumpkin castle, face painting, carriage ride, farm shop and food.
Nottinghamshire Pick Your Own Pumpkins Oxton, near Southwell	Nottinghamshire	10–11 Oct, then daily 17–31 Oct 2026, 9.30am–5pm	Walk-up Free entry; pay for what you pick, pumpkins from £3; cash or card	Started 15 years ago with 300 pumpkins. The sunflower field and maize maze are off for 2026 after the weather, but the pumpkins look excellent. Little ones: A mostly flat field with some inclines, uneven and possibly muddy; portaloos and hand-washing; free parking; no dogs.
Arscott Farm Pontesford, near Shrewsbury	Shropshire	From Fri 2 Oct 2026, Fridays to Sundays, then every day of half term	Not yet published Not yet published (most events here are free to enter)	The nine-acre patch sits alongside the farm’s forest school and PYO strawberry polytunnels. Little ones: Farm animals to visit, a snack shack and wood-fired pizzas.
Little Wytheford Farm Shawbury, near Shrewsbury	Shropshire	October 2026 — the farm says it is ‘opening again soon for pumpkins’ and tickets will be ‘available soon’ (22 Sept)	Book ahead £3 per car, including wheelbarrow use; pumpkins from 50p	A fourth-generation family farm — the giant party pumpkins go early. Little ones: Wheelbarrows included in the car price, free photo spots including a Pumpkin House, and a tea room on site.
Winston Farm Ellesmere	Shropshire	October 2026 — the farm’s page still reads ‘closed now until October 2026’ with no dates (22 Sept)	Not yet published Not yet published	Sold out entirely before the end of October last season, so go early rather than late. Little ones: A maize maze and farm animals alongside the patch.
Essington Farm Essington, near Wolverhampton	Staffordshire	October 2026, exact dates not yet announced	Book ahead A small entry fee applies; pumpkins weighed and paid for	Farming the same land since 1892, with an award-winning butchery and restaurant to make a day of it. Little ones: Family farm shop, restaurant and bakery on site.
Lichfield Maize Maze Lichfield	Staffordshire	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and daily 23–31 Oct 2026, 9am–5pm	Book ahead Admission ticket required; pumpkins paid for by weight	Over 70 varieties, and the Pumpkin House photo spot is what brings families back. Little ones: A Mini Maze as well as the main one, a giant sandpit, straw-bale towers and a mini tractor yard; two Quiet Time sessions on 4 and 23 Oct. Halloween: A spooky — explicitly not scary — autumn maze with new October games.
Lower Drayton Farm Penkridge, near Stafford	Staffordshire	26–27 Sept, 3–4 and 10–11 Oct, then daily 17–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Entry from £6 online (£8 on the gate); carers and under-2s free	Tenth pumpkin season, with a new undercover carving barn so the mess stays at the farm. Little ones: A new indoor pumpkin-choosing option for no-wellies days; a sling is better than a pushchair; free hard-standing parking and indoor toilets. Halloween: Pumpkins in the Dark on Friday evenings from 5pm, with live music and a bar — family-friendly, not a scare maze.
Hatton Adventure World Warwick	Warwickshire	Selected dates 3 Oct – 1 Nov 2026, patch 10am–4pm	Book ahead Halloween Spooktacular admission from £17.50; pumpkins £2–£5	The patch is not sold separately: you need a Spooktacular ticket to reach the field. Little ones: Deliberately non-frightening, and all the Halloween activities are undercover except the patch itself; no dogs. Halloween: Halloween Spooktacular — UV trail, Spooky Show, Witches of Hatton and a Monster Mash disco, all daytime.
Malt Kiln Farm Shop Stretton-under-Fosse, near Rugby	Warwickshire	3–4, 8–11, 15–18 and daily 22–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up, book at weekends £6 per car for up to five people, then £1.20 each	More than 30 varieties picked straight off the vine and priced by the kilo. Alpaca walks on 29 Oct. Little ones: Wash station for boots and pumpkins, hard-standing parking, café, milkshake station and a tractor shed.
Top Barn Farm Shop & Farm Park Holt Heath, near Worcester	Worcestershire	October 2026; linked activities 11–12, 18–19 and 25–31 Oct	Walk-up Free entry and free parking; pumpkins £3–£12	The one on this list where you can turn up on spec — almost everything else wants a slot at peak times. Little ones: Pet corner, fort, play areas, willow tunnel, baby change and free parking; pony and fairground rides on listed dates.

Yorkshire & the North East

Yorkshire grows pumpkins at scale — one farm alone plants 300,000. 18 patches across County Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Baydale Farm Darlington	County Durham	October 2026, exact dates not yet published	Walk-up Not published	Grows Crown Prince squash alongside the carving varieties, and makes a point of flavour over supermarket-style growing. Little ones: Wheelbarrows provided, with straw bales and photo boards between the patch and the pumpkin shop.
Holmside Park Edmondsley, near Chester-le-Street	County Durham	2–31 Oct 2026, closed Wednesdays and Thursdays except 28–29 Oct	Book ahead All-day park admission; pumpkins bought separately at the kiosk	One of the few that says outright you need not buy anything from the patch. Little ones: No obligation to buy a pumpkin at all — you can come for the photo spots and activities.
Tweddle Farm Blackhall Colliery, near Hartlepool	County Durham	10–11, 17–18, 24–25 and 26–30 Oct 2026	Book ahead Ticket covers farm and patch entry; pumpkins are added at checkout	Season-ticket holders get patch entry free, but are asked to buy pumpkins online in advance. Little ones: Garden games, face painting, funfair rides, bottle feeding and a petting centre.
Butt Farm Pumpkin Patch Beverley	East Riding of Yorkshire	26–27 Sept; 3–5, 9–12, 16–19 Oct; then daily 23–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up Entry by a charitable donation of your choice to Yorkshire Air Ambulance	Donation-only entry makes this the cheapest verified patch in the North. Little ones: Free pumpkin carving every day, adult wellies to hire for a donation, SEND sessions planned; reachable on the X46 and X47 bus. Halloween: A spooky trail with a competition, plus Howloween dog picking evenings on 27 Sept, 4 and 11 Oct.
Sandy Bottom Farm Pumpkins Hedon, near Hull	East Riding of Yorkshire	3–4, 10–11, 17–18, 23 Oct, then daily 24–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £3 per person (under-2s free); pumpkins £1.50–£8	The first 100 tickets sold are golden tickets, giving unlimited re-entry across every open date. Little ones: Craft tent and pumpkin painting, animal handling every Sunday; a baby carrier is better than a pram. Halloween: Night picking on 9 and 16 Oct, 5.30–9pm — not a scare event.
The Pumpkin Patch at Bewholme Bewholme, near Driffield	East Riding of Yorkshire	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Walk-up £2 per person (under-2s free); pumpkins from £1	Over 45 varieties, and a walk-in Pumpkin House the farm believes is the first of its kind in Yorkshire. Little ones: All areas are wide enough for prams, though the field gets muddy; Golden Guernsey goats to meet. Halloween: A maize maze with spooky surprises; no evening event.
Bert’s Barrow Hillam, near Selby	North Yorkshire	Throughout October 2026 — Fridays 4–8pm, weekends 9am–4pm	Walk-up Free entry; pumpkins £1–£12.50	Over 80,000 pumpkins in 50-plus varieties, plus PYO sweetcorn and flowers. It doubles as a wedding barn the rest of the year. Little ones: Mini fairground rides and lots of photo spots; dogs allowed on leads. Halloween: Friday pizza-and-bar evenings with the fairground open — no scare event.
Birchfield Family Dairies Summerbridge, Nidderdale	North Yorkshire	Opens the weekend of 26–27 Sept 2026, 10am–4pm; later dates on the farm’s own calendar	Walk-up Farm admission £8.95 (under-2s free); free parking	The farm is pointed about it: the pumpkins are grown in the fields where you pick them, not placed out to create a patch. Little ones: The Pumpkin Express barrel ride round the field, and photo spots throughout.
Mallard Grange Farm Aldfield, near Ripon	North Yorkshire	From 2 Oct 2026; further October dates to follow	Walk-up Free entry; pumpkins £1–£15	Dogs are welcome on site but explicitly not among the pumpkins. Little ones: Parking and toilets by the car park; a muddy field, so sturdy footwear. Halloween: Twilight picking evenings with food and drink — not scare events.
Monk Park Farm Thirsk	North Yorkshire	Selected dates 3–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Patch-only ticket £6.95, including a £3.50 pumpkin voucher; farm admission from £10	The patch-only ticket is the cheapest genuine entry in North Yorkshire, though it excludes the farm park. Little ones: Free carnival games, a Pumpkin Carving Barn so the mess stays behind, bale mountain, wallabies and Highland cattle. Halloween: Family Pumpkin Nights, plus strictly over-18 Adults Only Pumpkin Nights.
Piglets Adventure Farm Towthorpe, near York	North Yorkshire	Selected October weekends and half term 2026	Book ahead Ticketed; every paying child gets a voucher for a small pumpkin	The York option, and the wet-weather one. Little ones: Squarely aimed at little ones — carving under a marquee, an indoor playbarn and a tractor-trailer ride for wet days. Halloween: Gruesome Ghost Trail, Halloween Disco and Mad Scientists shows — all family-friendly.
Spilmans Yorkshire Pumpkins Sessay, near Thirsk	North Yorkshire	26 Sept, then 3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 23–30 Oct 2026	Book ahead From £7.95, including a £5 pumpkin voucher	Back to Basics days on 13–16 and 20–22 Oct close the activities and pizza tent entirely, for children who prefer things quiet. Little ones: Bale Mountain, giant bean pit, jumping pillows, pumpkin wash stations and baby changing on site. Halloween: Spooky Walk; Pumpkin Nights on seven dates; fireworks on 28 and 29 Oct.
Stockeld Park Spofforth, near Wetherby	North Yorkshire	Every October weekend plus daily 24–31 Oct 2026, 9.30am–5pm	Book ahead Included in the Halloween Adventure ticket; pumpkins extra	2026 is the first year the pumpkins have been grown on the Stockeld estate itself rather than bought in. Little ones: A tractor-trailer runs to the patch every 15 minutes, or it is a five-minute signposted walk. Halloween: Woodland Witches Trail and Mummy Maze included; new Pumpkin Nights on 17 and 24 Oct.
Yorkshire Pumpkins at Lodge Farm Cundall, near Boroughbridge	North Yorkshire	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 22–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead From £2 per person (babes in arms free)	A third-generation family farm, and the growers themselves are out in the field to answer questions. Little ones: Pumpkin bowling, toy tractors, bale mountain and a pumpkin wash.
Brocksbushes Farm Shop Stocksfield, near Hexham	Northumberland	3–4 and 10–11 Oct, then daily 16–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £3.50 per person aged 3+; family ticket £12 for up to five	155,000 pumpkins planted for 2026. Dog-friendly on four specified dates only. Little ones: Toddler Days 19–22 Oct, 10am–2pm, quieter while older children are at school, plus a dedicated Baby Brocks patch. Halloween: Twilight Sessions on 16 and 23 Oct until 8pm, with live music and street food.
Whitehouse Farm Centre Morpeth	Northumberland	13–15 and 20–22 Oct 2026, timed sessions	Book ahead Session ticket includes full-day farm park access	Not a field patch. this is an indoor pumpkin patch laid out in a barn, not a field. Which is rather the point in a Northumberland October. Little ones: Built entirely for toddlers — pumpkin choosing, painting, crafts and a Tots Disco. Halloween: Halloween Spooktacular runs as a separate bookable event.
Cannon Hall Farm Cawthorne, near Barnsley	South Yorkshire	10–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £12.95 per person (under-2s free); a flat £3 per pumpkin whatever the size	The flat £3 rate regardless of size is unusual — most patches price by size or weight. Little ones: Free pumpkin painting and decorating in the craft zone, and an indoor playground for wet days. Halloween: Not advertised on the event page.
Farmer Copleys Pumpkin Festival Pontefract	West Yorkshire	26–27 Sept, then 3–4, 10–11, 17–18 Oct and daily 19 Oct – 1 Nov 2026	Book ahead Varies by date, peak and off-peak; under-3s free	Three hundred thousand pumpkins across 40-plus varieties. Last entry is always two hours before closing. Little ones: Witches’ Storytime, a How Tall This Fall height board and baby changing throughout. Halloween: Twilight picking with live music most weekends; fireworks on 1 Nov.

North West England

Cheshire and Lancashire lead; several patches here are deliberately undercover. 17 patches across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Bates Farm Risley, near Warrington	Cheshire	The last weekend in September and every October weekend 2026	Book ahead £15 per car; pumpkins £1–£15	A seven-acre patch, 40-plus varieties and 50,000 pumpkins, run by two sisters. It sells out in consecutive years. Little ones: An undercover pumpkin barn the farm describes as ideal if little ones have only just started walking; pram and wheelchair accessible; dogs on leads.
High Legh Pumpkin Patch High Legh, near Knutsford	Cheshire	From 3 Oct 2026; weekends, Friday evenings from 9 Oct, and half term 26–30 Oct	Walk-up Free entry; pumpkins from £2	Twenty-two thousand pumpkins over 25 varieties on four acres, plus a hidden Golden Pumpkin each day of half term — find it and you win a barrow full. Little ones: SEN-friendly quiet session on 10 and 11 Oct, opening an hour early; a marquee with a carving area for shelter; the patch is straight off the car park but can be very muddy. Halloween: Friday evening candlelit picking from 9 Oct — no scare event.
Kenyon Hall Farm Croft, near Warrington	Cheshire	Daily from 26 Sept 2026	Book ahead £3.95 per person (under-18-months free), plus a £1 booking fee	More than 20,000 pumpkins across 50 varieties, and pumpkin fairies restock the public patches through October so late visitors still get a choice. Little ones: The farm shop, café and free playground need no ticket; indoor displays are pram- and wheelchair-accessible, the outdoor patches only in dry weather. Halloween: No scare event — a daytime festival with paid family photo shoots.
Libby’s Patch Gawsworth, near Macclesfield	Cheshire	Autumn 2026, dates not yet announced	Book ahead Not yet published for 2026	Run by Daniel and Bethan Thornicroft and named after Daniel’s late mother. Little ones: A family farm with strawberry picking, a sunflower maze, cut flowers and Christmas trees alongside the autumn patch. Halloween: Not yet announced.
Pye Ash Farm Bosley, near Macclesfield	Cheshire	Selected dates throughout October 2026	Book ahead Not published on the farm’s own page	Over 50 varieties all grown on the farm. The Gilmans have farmed here 90 years, and the 2025 event raised £4,646 for East Cheshire Hospice. Little ones: An undercover maze, sheepdog demonstrations, marshmallow toasting and face painting; strict no-dogs policy.
The Lambing Shed Knutsford	Cheshire	26–27 Sept, then every October weekend plus some half-term dates	Book ahead £3.95 per person (under-1s free); pumpkins priced individually	Twenty-eight home-grown varieties including green, white and pink. Dogs welcome. Little ones: Mini Pumpkin Explorers, a quiet toddler and pre-school session on 9 Oct, 9.30–11am, while older children are at school; free parking, toilets and baby changing.
Stephney Farm Seascale	Cumbria	10–11, 17–18 and 24–27 Oct 2026	Book ahead Not published on the booking calendar	The only West Cumbrian coastal patch we could verify with firm 2026 dates. Little ones: Not published on the farm’s own pages.
Walby Farm Park Crosby-on-Eden, near Carlisle	Cumbria	Throughout October 2026, dates to be confirmed	Book ahead Not yet published for 2026	The farm makes a point of it: acres grown on site by Farmer Neil. No crates, no imports. It sells out every year. Little ones: An indoor Adventure Play Barn, animal barn, daily activities, outdoor play, pumpkin carving and the Cowshed Café.
Cockfields Farm Park Ashton-under-Lyne	Greater Manchester	Selected dates throughout October 2026	Book ahead Early bird from £16.95 (under-1s £5.95); every paying ticket includes a pumpkin	The pumpkin is in the ticket price, which softens the sticker shock. Little ones: The whole farm park is included — Big Animal Barn, Cuddle Corner, tractor rides, a giant bouncy pillow and a new Reptile Room. Halloween: A new-for-2026 spooky walk-through and Halloween show by day; a separate After Dark event in the evening.
Reddish Vale Farm Reddish, Stockport	Greater Manchester	10–31 Oct 2026, 10am–4pm	Book ahead Not published on the event pages; pumpkins sold separately	A Carving Cavern where you carve on site and the farm clears up the mess. Little ones: Air bouncers, indoor play, a beach area, role-play village, pony grooming and small-animal sessions. Halloween: Moonlight Pumpkin Evenings on 17, 24 and 25 Oct, plus a Sanderson Sisters Special on 30–31 Oct.
Bradshaws Farm Shop Garstang, near Preston	Lancashire	October 2026, one-hour timed sessions	Book ahead £2.95 per booking	The cheapest booked session in the North West, at under £3 a family. Little ones: A Pumpkin Market with munchkin pumpkins for small children, Halloween carnival games, hot and cold drinks and ice creams.
Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm Downholland, near Ormskirk	Lancashire	2 Oct – 1 Nov 2026	Book ahead From £12.00 per person; family ticket from £41.50; under-1s free; pumpkins not included	Not a field patch. the new-for-2026 Pumpkin Village is a built display of archways and pumpkin mountains rather than a muddy field. Little ones: Sorcery School twice daily, ghost storytelling, marshmallow roasting pits, indoor and outdoor play and farm animals. Halloween: Jurassic Halloween Tedventure with 12 animatronic dinosaurs, and a Scary Maize Maze treasure hunt — gentle frights.
Greenlands Farm Village Tewitfield, near Carnforth	Lancashire	3–31 Oct 2026; farm from 10am, pumpkin field from 11am	Book ahead Ticket includes open-farm entry and one pumpkin	The undercover play area matters this far north in late October. Little ones: More than 150 animals, handling sessions, a huge undercover play area and a bouncy pillow; wheelbarrows provided; no dogs on the open farm. Halloween: A Trick or Treat Trail included with every child ticket; no evening event.
Mrs Dowsons Farm Park Clayton-le-Dale, near Blackburn	Lancashire	From 4 Oct 2026, timed slots	Book ahead Per person, under-12-months free; each ticket includes a pumpkin plus farm park admission	Home-grown pumpkins plus 12 imported varieties. The adults-only night is unusual for the North West. Little ones: A three-acre patch with indoor and outdoor play, barns and animals all included; carnival games three plays for £3. Halloween: Adults-only Pumpkin Nights — a lantern-lit path, glowing patch, fire pits, live music and hot chocolate with Baileys.
Benty Farm Tearooms Thurstaston, Wirral	Merseyside	26 Sept – 25 Oct 2026, hourly slots	Book ahead £2 per adult (under-2s free); pumpkins weighed on the day	New for 2026: a ticket is now required to enter the patch. Little ones: A pumpkin house and photo set-ups; the farm says wellies are essential. Halloween: A children’s Halloween Trail on picking dates, priced separately.
Claremont Farm Bebington, Wirral	Merseyside	Not yet announced for 2026 — check before travelling	Walk-up Not published for 2026	A Wirral institution, but as of 22 September nothing about the 2026 patch had appeared on the farm’s own site. Worth watching. Little ones: Wheelbarrows available in the field but limited, so bring bags or boxes; the field can be muddy.
Rainfords Farm Eccleston, St Helens	Merseyside	From 26 Sept through October 2026, 10am–4pm daily	Walk-up Free entry and free parking; small pumpkins and gourds from £1.25	Not a field patch. the pumpkins are home-grown but harvested and brought into an enclosed area, so this is not field picking. It is the driest option in Merseyside. Little ones: An enclosed grassed picking area beside the barn with children’s wheelbarrows and no walking through muddy crop rows; a fenced dog waiting area. Halloween: No evening scare event; an adult floral arranging workshop on 28 Oct.

Wales

Fewer patches, but two of the best after-dark events in Britain. 8 patches across Caerphilly, Cardiff, Isle of Anglesey, Monmouthshire, Powys, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan and Wrexham.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Pencoed Fach Farm Bedwellty, near Blackwood	Caerphilly	October 2026, dates not yet announced	Not yet published Not published	A genuine organic dairy farm running a true PYO patch, plus a summer sunflower maze. Little ones: An on-site farm shop and dairy, open Monday to Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Cefn Mably Farm Park Michaelston-y-Fedw, Cardiff	Cardiff	3 Oct – 2 Nov 2026, daily 10am–5pm	Walk-up See the farm’s pricing page	The wet-weather pick of South Wales — a large indoor soft-play barn means a washout is still salvageable. Little ones: Indoor and outdoor soft play, an all-weather farm attraction, autumn crafts and a seasonal quiz.
Hooton’s Homegrown Llanfairpwllgwyngyll	Isle of Anglesey	October 2026; the farm says dates vary with the season	Walk-up No entry fee — produce weighed on the way out	A working PYO field rather than a staged patch, where pumpkins are simply the October line on a calendar that starts with June gooseberries. Little ones: Prams and wheelchairs are usually fine in dry conditions; containers supplied, or bring your own.
Lower House Farm Llanvair Discoed, near Chepstow	Monmouthshire	From 3 Oct 2026	Book ahead Shown only in a graphic on the farm’s page	Regeneratively farmed and deliberately small. This is a real smallholding with Highland cows, not an events field. Little ones: A small working family farm — animals to say hello to, hot food in the barn and photos among the vines.
Cantref Adventure Farm Brecon	Powys	3–4, 10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, 10.30am–5pm	Book ahead Festival ticket price not published; Pumpkin Nights £3 per person	The only Welsh patch where a pumpkin per child is included rather than charged for. Little ones: Every child picks a free pumpkin; expert carvers on hand, carnival games, swamp boat ride, wizardry school and marshmallow toasting; dog-friendly patch. Halloween: Pumpkin Nights — a twilight event with live music and pizza, family-friendly rather than frightening.
Gower Fresh Christmas Trees Three Crosses, Swansea	Swansea	October 2026; The Harvest Calling on 29–31 Oct	Book ahead A car pass for up to six people; pumpkins paid for by what you pick	The only patch in Britain where you pick pumpkins and then go and feed reindeer. Little ones: The car pass includes the fields, a haunted trail through the Christmas trees, a giant pumpkin house and a visit to the reindeer; The Witches of the Farm is a one-hour story adventure for ages 3–12, four times daily. Halloween: The Harvest Calling — an actor-led maize-field horror with five scare zones, 12+, on 29–31 Oct.
Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen Cowbridge	Vale of Glamorgan	Selected dates 3–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Daytime £12–£15 per car for up to five; Twilight £10 per person	The clearest daytime-versus-night split of any Welsh patch: gentle by day, properly staffed scares after 7pm. Little ones: Hay-bale climbing, a maize maze, tractor-trailer rides, goats, alpacas and Highland cows, and more than ten photo spots; buggies are discouraged on the patch itself. Halloween: Twilight — a scare maze with live actors, fire throwers and stilt walkers, on 11 dates from 16 Oct, age 8+.
Bellis Brothers Farm Shop Holt, near Wrexham	Wrexham	October 2026, 10am–5pm on open days (Fri 30 Oct 10am–2pm); the day-by-day list is on the free ticket booking	Book ahead Free entry and parking with a free timed ticket per vehicle; pay for what you pick; maize maze £2.50 (under-3s free, cash only)	A PYO field on a family fruit farm attached to a full garden centre — a rare combination of muddy field and hot lunch. Little ones: A children’s play area, restaurant and butchers on the same site. Halloween: A Spooky Maize Maze alongside the patch by day.

Scotland

Scottish farms announce late — most open from 10 October rather than late September. 12 patches across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife, Highland, Perth and Kinross, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and Stirling.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Jamieson’s Farm Shop Cove Bay, Aberdeen	Aberdeen City	Multiple dates from 4 Oct 2026	Book ahead One ticket per car, giving 90 minutes’ access to all activities; pumpkins not included	Fifth year, thousands of pumpkins, and the north-east’s first Neep Patch — a genuinely Scottish twist, alongside potion making and broomstick flying. Little ones: Indoor as well as outdoor activities, a colouring station, farm animals, free parking and toilets; wrap up warm and bring wellies.
Loch-Hills Garden Centre Ellon	Aberdeenshire	Selected dates, October 2026	Book ahead One ticket admits four people for two hours and includes a small pumpkin	Not a field patch. an indoor polytunnel patch rather than a field, and the all-weather Aberdeenshire option because of it. Little ones: Fully weatherproof — the patch is inside a polytunnel, so no mud and no wellies; a ghostly game of hide and seek.
Charleton Farm Hillside, near Montrose	Angus	October 2026, not yet confirmed — the page was last updated in 2024	Walk-up No entry price; produce weighed and paid for by weight, containers free	A genuine free-entry PYO field, but treat 2026 as unconfirmed and ring ahead. Little ones: A free play park, a Little Farmers children’s café menu and animal experiences.
Balgone Estate North Berwick	East Lothian	10–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead £18 per car	Planted in May on the estate, by the team who run the summer sunflower field. Little ones: Curated photo spots throughout, with the HERD café and farm shop on site; 35 minutes from Edinburgh. Halloween: A 2.5km Haunted Trail around Balgone Lakes, included.
Craigie’s Farm Deli & Café South Queensferry	Edinburgh	1–31 Oct 2026 — quiet picking 1–9 Oct, peak picking 10–31 Oct	Book ahead Booked in two-hour slots; pumpkins are not included	Named Pick Your Own of the Year 2026, and the only one anywhere that signposts the month as quiet and peak picking windows. Little ones: Bale maze, storytelling, tractor-trailer rides, roaming characters and target shooting; free parking with disabled bays, but a large field with uneven, muddy paths; assistance dogs only. Halloween: Late Picking evenings with after-dark access, live music and food — family-friendly.
Cairnie Fruit Farm Cupar	Fife	From 10 Oct 2026, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–4.30pm	Book ahead PYO day pass £2 per person; Funyard and PYO from £7.50 (under-3s free but still ticketed)	Scotland’s original PYO pumpkin producer, in its 27th year, with over 20,000 pumpkins. Little ones: Under-3s free, a Funyard play area and mega maze; the pumpkins are pre-cut from the vine ready to lift; wellies recommended; dogs on the farm but not in the patches. Halloween: Halloween Torchlight Maze — a genuinely scary torchlit run through the six-acre maze, recommended 8+.
Wester Hardmuir Fruit Farm Auldearn, near Nairn	Highland	October 2026, dates not yet announced	Not yet published Not published for pumpkins (PYO fruit entry is £2.50, under-2s free)	The most northerly patch we could verify. Little ones: A farm shop, a sitooterie and homemade ice cream; dogs on leads on site but not in the tunnels. Halloween: The Cryptic Catacomb Trail returns alongside the patch.
Broadslap Fruit Farm Dunning, near Perth	Perth and Kinross	From Wed 7 Oct 2026, booked date-and-time slots; quiet picking sessions on request	Book ahead Not published	A small family raspberry farm that has added PYO pumpkins. The Christmas block on its page already has dates, so autumn simply has not been written up yet. Little ones: A new indoor and outdoor children’s play barn, farm shop, café and a dog-friendly snug.
Heads of Ayr Farm Park Alloway, Ayr	South Ayrshire	Sixteen dates from 10 Oct 2026, 10am–5pm	Book ahead Adults and children from £17.50, one-year-olds £7.50 (under-1s free); pumpkin not included	The ticket buys unlimited time in the patch and the whole park; quads, the train and bumper boats cost extra. Little ones: Little Critters indoor animal barn, Play n Wild indoor adventure barn, jumping pillows and a farmers’ yard — strong wet-weather cover; assistance dogs only.
Valley View at Goulding’s Rosebank, near Carluke	South Lanarkshire	One-hour sessions 3–31 Oct 2026, some with late-night slots	Book ahead £5 per person (under-1s free); pumpkins are extra	Not a field patch. pumpkins are chosen from decorated indoor and outdoor scenes rather than a growing field — the low-mud Clyde Valley option. Little ones: Carving stations on site so you leave the mess behind, with an adventure park and soft play alongside at 30% off in October. Halloween: Late-night sessions on selected dates; no named scare event.
Arnprior Farm Arnprior, near Stirling	Stirling	10–25 Oct 2026 daily, plus after-school sessions 26–30 Oct	Book ahead £14.90 per car, of which £5 comes off your pumpkins; pumpkins £1.50–£12	Scotland’s original and largest patch — 20,000 pumpkins, with proceeds from the orange net bags going to a local school charity. Little ones: Baby changing at the patch entrance, two accessible toilets, gravel paths laid across a real field, picnic tables, covered seating, welly hire and quieter ASN sessions; dogs on leads. Halloween: Date Night Hoedown on 24 Oct (adults only), plus evening picking on 22–23 Oct.
Briarlands Farm Blair Drummond, near Stirling	Stirling	10–31 Oct 2026	Walk-up Patch entry £2 per person; farm park from £5.40 extra (under-2s free)	Scotland’s rain-proof pick: the pumpkins grow under cover, so a wet Saturday need not spoil the trip. Little ones: The patch grows under an old strawberry polytunnel, so it stays dry in the rain; an under-7s jumping pillow, indoor play frame and sand pits; carving area; guide dogs only. Halloween: No scare event — but a Pumpkin Smash on 1 Nov and Bonfire Night on 7 Nov.

Northern Ireland

Ticket prices look high until you notice the pumpkin, the carving and the whole farm are in them. 4 patches across County Down and County Londonderry.

Pumpkin patch	County	Open in 2026	Booking & entry	Good to know
Mountpanther Farm Park Clough, near Downpatrick	County Down	10–11, 17–18 and 24–31 Oct 2026, morning and afternoon sessions	Book ahead Toddlers 1–3 from £7, children from £14.50, adults from £15.50; family of four from £56 (under-1s free)	Pitched as the best-value patch in Northern Ireland, and 40 minutes from both Belfast and Newry. Little ones: They carve your pumpkin for you; a petting barn with rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets, walk-in goat, wallaby and lemur enclosures, reptile encounters, an indoor play barn, play village, sandpit, go-kart track and bouncy pillows. Halloween: A family-friendly Haunted House and spooky characters, plus a separate Adults Night.
Streamvale Open Farm Belfast	County Down	3–31 Oct 2026, three-and-a-half-hour timed sessions	Book ahead Toddlers 1–2 £7.50, children £18.50, adults from £19.50; family of four £69 (under-1s free)	The most all-inclusive ticket in Northern Ireland: pumpkin, carving, tractor ride, sweet shop, mask making and a disco are all in the price. Little ones: A pumpkin is included in most tickets and carved for you in the marquee; Cuddle Corner with rabbits and guinea pigs, barrel rides, animal feeding, indoor and outdoor play, a pumpkin bouncy castle and junior soft play. Halloween: Screamvale — an adults-only 16+ scare night on seven dates, 7–10.30pm.
The Ark Open Farm Newtownards	County Down	Selected dates 10–31 Oct 2026	Book ahead Toddlers 1–2 £8, children £18, adults from £16; family of four £64 (under-1s free)	Pick your pumpkin and the team carves your child’s chosen design at the carving station. New for 2026: a live witches’ mini show. Little ones: The toddler ticket includes its own pumpkin and a barrel ride; wheelbarrows provided; a dedicated Quiet Session with early entry on 25 Oct for visitors with sensory sensitivities; allergy-friendly treats. Halloween: A family, non-scare Halloween Trail through the Fairytale Forest, plus an Adults-Only Evening on 23 Oct.
The Jungle NI — Hallowee’uns Moneymore, near Magherafelt	County Londonderry	17–18, 24–25 and 28–31 Oct 2026, arrivals 10am–12.30pm	Book ahead Children £14, adults £10; extra activity tokens £4 each	Genuine PYO — the pumpkins are grown on site and children pick straight from the patch. Little ones: Explicitly Halloween for the wee’uns — every child ticket includes a pumpkin token, the Haunted Haycart ride, marshmallow toasting, a Halloween disco and an adventure token; free play park and fancy-dress prizes. Halloween: The family Haunted Haycart within Hallowee’uns, plus a separate over-12s Fright Night on 11 dates.

What to take pumpkin picking

Wellies, without exception. Every farm on this list that mentions footwear says the same thing, and an October field in Britain is not a place for trainers. Beyond that: gloves, because pumpkin vines have small prickles that catch on little hands; a bag-for-life or a box, since plenty of farms sell no bags and the wheelbarrows only take you as far as the till; and cash as well as a card, because a few of the smaller fields still have a card machine that depends on a signal.

• Go early or late. Cobbs Farm in Essex publishes its own quiet windows — before 11am and after 3pm. Most farms are busiest between noon and two.
• Pick a pumpkin with a stalk. A long, firm stalk is what stops it rotting before the 31st. Rectory Farm in Oxfordshire snips them off the vine before you arrive for exactly this reason.
• Don’t carve it the week before. A carved pumpkin lasts three or four days. Carve on the 29th or 30th, not the 24th.
• Ring ahead about dogs. Roughly a third of these patches welcome dogs on leads and a third ban them outright, often because the crop is classed as food. Several run dog-only days.
• Eat it. The big carving varieties are watery and dull, but almost every farm here also grows squash and eating varieties — ask which, and roast it.

Pumpkin picking: your questions answered

When does pumpkin picking start in the UK in 2026?

A few farms open in late September — Tulleys in West Sussex from 19 September, and a cluster including Kenyon Hall, Farmer Copleys, Spilmans, Lower Drayton and Butt Farm on the weekend of 26–27 September. The main season starts on Saturday 3 October 2026, weekends only at first, then daily from around 23–24 October for half term, finishing on Saturday 31 October. Scottish patches mostly open a week later, from 10 October.

When does pumpkin picking finish?

Almost every patch closes on 31 October 2026, and many sell out of the larger pumpkins before that. A handful run into the first weekend of November for a pumpkin smash or a bonfire — Briarlands in Stirling holds its smash on 1 November, and Farmer Copleys and Tulleys both finish with fireworks. If you want a choice of big carving pumpkins, go in the first three weeks rather than the last.

Do I need to book a pumpkin patch in advance?

Usually, yes. Most patches that charge for entry now sell timed arrival slots and will turn you away without a ticket, and popular weekends sell out weeks ahead. Free-entry patches are generally walk-up. There is also a middle option — a free but compulsory ticket, used by farms such as Goddenwick, Undley and Bath Pumpkin Patch simply to spread arrivals through the day.

How much does pumpkin picking cost?

It splits three ways. Many farms charge nothing to enter and you pay only for what you pick, typically £1 for a munchkin up to £10–£15 for a large carver. Others charge a small entry fee per person or per car — commonly £2–£8 a head, or £6–£15 for a whole car, and several farms refund it against the pumpkins you buy. The third model is a full farm-park ticket, from about £13 to £20 a head, which usually includes the patch, the play areas and sometimes the pumpkin itself. Prices change every season, so check the farm’s own page before you travel.

Are pumpkin patches suitable for toddlers?

Many are excellent, but the field itself is the hard part — rutted, muddy and prickly, and pushchairs struggle. A baby carrier works better. Look for farms that provide wheelbarrows, have hard-standing or gravel paths, and offer an undercover alternative for a wet day. Several farms run quiet or SEN sessions, and a few — Whitehouse Farm in Northumberland and Rectory Farm in Oxfordshire among them — build whole sessions around under-threes.

Which UK pumpkin patches are free to enter?

Plenty. Free entry, paying only for what you pick, is the standard model at farms including Hewitts Farm and Peterley Manor in the South East, Cobbs Farm, Siam Hall, Rougham and Wroxham Barns in the East, Orway Porch, Trevaskis and Devon Pumpkin Picking in the South West, Doddington Hall and Top Barn in the Midlands, Bert’s Barrow and Mallard Grange in Yorkshire, High Legh and Rainfords in the North West and Hooton’s Homegrown on Anglesey. Butt Farm near Beverley asks only for a charity donation.

What is the biggest pumpkin patch in the UK?

Tulleys Farm at Turners Hill in West Sussex, which describes itself as the largest in Europe: around 1.5 million pumpkins across more than 100 acres and 100-plus varieties, with a 33-metre observation wheel. Bell’s Pumpkin Patch in Lincolnshire grows around two million across 300-plus varieties, Farmer Copleys in West Yorkshire plants 300,000, and Brocksbushes in Northumberland 155,000.

Can I take a dog to a pumpkin patch?

It depends entirely on the farm, and the reason for a ban is usually that the crop is classed as food rather than any objection to dogs. Roughly a third of the patches here welcome dogs on leads, including Cotswold Farm Park, Farrington’s, Bert’s Barrow, Sarah Green’s Organics and Cantref. Others allow dogs on site but not among the pumpkins, and some run dog-only days — Tulleys has a Pooches & Pumpkins day on 15 October, Brocksbushes is dog-friendly on four specified dates and Butt Farm runs Howloween evenings in late September and early October. Always check before you drive.

Is the pumpkin patch a real field or just a display?

Both exist, and it is worth knowing which you are getting. Some farms grow the crop elsewhere on the farm and lay it out in a decorated display, a barn or a polytunnel — drier, flatter and much easier with a pushchair, but not a field of vines. We have marked those in the tables above as ‘not a field patch’. Farms that grow in the field you pick from tend to say so plainly on their own pages, because the alternative is now so common.

Are pumpkin patches scary for young children?

The daytime patch almost never is — several farms, including the Cornish Fun Farm and Hatton Adventure World, describe their daytime events as explicitly spook-free. The evening events are a different matter, and the names can mislead. ‘Pumpkin Nights’ at most farms means lanterns, fire pits and live music. But Tulleys’ night event, Sunnyfields’ Dark Harvest, Streamvale’s Screamvale, Forage’s Twilight maze and Gower Fresh’s Harvest Calling are proper scare attractions with age limits of 12 or 16. Check the age guidance rather than the title.

Can you eat carving pumpkins?

You can, but you probably won’t enjoy it. The big orange carving varieties are bred for size and a hollow cavity, so the flesh is watery and bland. Almost every farm in this directory also grows eating squash — Crown Prince, Delica, Kabocha, Munchkin — and the staff will point you at them. Baydale Farm in Darlington grows Crown Prince alongside the carvers specifically for this. Roast it hard and hot, and keep the seeds.

Where can I go pumpkin picking near me?

Use the region list above and then the county column in each table. The densest clusters are Kent, Surrey and Sussex in the South East; Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire in the East; Cheshire and Lancashire in the North West; and North Yorkshire, which grows pumpkins at genuine scale. Greater London has one true patch inside the M25 — Hobbledown Heath at Hounslow — so Londoners should expect a drive out to Kent, Surrey, Hertfordshire or Essex.

Related guides

• UK car boot sales, county by county — the directory that keeps going after the pumpkins have gone, with the sales that run all winter.
• The weekend farmers’ market directory — where to buy the rest of the vegetables once you have the pumpkin.
• UK open-air lidos, region by region — the summer companion to this one, and more of them stay open through October than you would think.
• Open Farm Sunday — many of the farms on this list open their gates for free in June as well.
• Weekend gardening — including what to do with the seeds you scoop out.